Victim of car assault calls for watchdog to investigate police handling of incident

A man who was crushed by a car when the driver deliberately reversed into him has asked an independent watchdog to investigate police handling of the case.

David Emsley, 52, suffered fractured ribs and other injuries when he was trapped between a Ford Galaxy and car park railings at The Fox pub in Menston, last August.

The driver, Simon Waters, 40, of Cross Green, Otley, was jailed for 21 months after he was convicted of wounding Mr Emsley.

Waters had returned to the scene after earlier blocking in Mr Emsley’s car and then reversing – catching his hand with the vehicle and causing bruising and soreness.

Judge Jonathan Rose told Waters he had used the car as a weapon to deliberately reverse into Mr Emsley, who was lucky not to have been more seriously injured.

Mr Emsley, of Menston, who is still suffering trauma six months after the incident, complained to the Independent Police Complaints Commission about the handling of the original call to police by the officer sent to the scene following the first incident.

Mr Emsley claimed the officer failed to take his allegation of assault seriously, as a result of which the suspect returned and subjected him to the more serious assault.

The officer claimed Mr Emsley was in drink and swearing at him.

The IPCC passed the complaint to West Yorkshire Police, which did not uphold it following an investigation and said no further action was intended.

But Mr Emsley has now appealed the decision to the IPCC.

He said: “I explained the situation to the officer and asked him what he was going to do and he said ‘nothing.’ He suggested I was making a mountain out of a molehill and said ‘you’re drunk, he’s drunk, you’ve had a tit for tat.’ ”The second incident would not have happened if he had done something about the first one.”

He admitted swearing at the officer in frustration but denied being drunk.

In his statement of complaint Mr Emsley claimed the officer was not interested in the incident or what anyone had to say.

But the police investigation concluded there had been no indication the complainant was at further risk from the suspect and there was no reason the complainant could not be seen the following morning.

A spokesman for the IPCC confirmed it had received an appeal from Mr Emsley against the investigation by West Yorkshire Police into his complaint.

The spokesman said: “We are collating documentation from the various parties. Our role is to look at how West Yorkshire Police conducted the investigation and whether we agree with the findings.”

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said: “While the appeal process is ongoing, and the matter continues to be investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission, it would be inappropriate to comment.”